Warriors give Northern Guilford a tussle

ELON — Western Alamance hung with the state’s top-ranked Class 3-A team until the final minutes Friday night, but in the end there was too much T.J. Logan.

Logan rushed for three touchdowns, including two long first-quarter bursts, before the Nighthawks were called upon to hold off a spirited Western Alamance team in a 28-14 victory.

The outcome clinched the outright Mid-State 3-A Conference title for Nighthawks (10-0 overall, 7-0 Mid-State 3-A Conference), who secured the first undefeated regular season in school history.

But the host Warriors, who honored 20 seniors in a pregame ceremony, were within seven points with five minutes to play.

“We just played our hearts out,” Western Alamance defensive end T.J. Harris said. “We were focused all week and we brought it out on the field. It was pretty exciting.”

A three-game winning streak ended for Western Alamance (8-3, 4-3), yet there was an encouraging tone.

“If that’s the best the state has to offer, we can compete,” Western Alamance coach Jeff Snuffer said. “You want to have a chance in the fourth quarter.”

A rapid change of fortunes left the fourth-place Warriors in position for an upset.

Northern Guilford’s Mook Reynolds intercepted a pass and returned it 17 yards to the Western Alamance 12-yard line, with a personal-foul penalty tacked on to push the ball to the 6. Two plays later, Austin Coltrane ran for a 1-yard touchdown and the Nighthawks led 21-7.

The Warriors struck back when junior Brock Deatherage returned the ensuing kickoff untouched 90 yards, resulting in his first career kickoff return for a score with 10:52 left.

“I was thinking that I hadn’t done anything so far,” Deatherage said. “I hit the jets.”

Western Alamance became the first team this year to score double figures on Northern Guilford.

An overzealous reaction from the Western Alamance sideline in celebrating the kickoff return resulted in a 15-yard penalty on the next kickoff. The Nighthawks took possession at the Western Alamance 44, and on the fourth consecutive third-down conversion of the drive they rebuilt their lead to 14 points on Logan’s 2-yard run.

“Going into the playoffs, you need to get a test and see where your heart is,” Logan said.

Deatherage said the Warriors played without pressure and continued their strong late-season surge.

“I can’t really describe the feeling,” he said. “We’re trying to carry that momentum into the playoffs. We’re just trying to get ready for the playoffs.”

Logan, a senior running back committed to play for North Carolina, gained 228 yards on 34 carries, with touchdown runs of 52 and 72 by taking direct snaps. Four rushes into the game, he had 128 yards. The next 100 came with much more difficulty.

“They started picking it up,” Logan said of Western Alamance’s defense. “I knew we were going (to get going again).”

Northern Guilford coach Johnny Roscoe, whose team lost a regular-season finale with title implications in overtime two years ago on the same field, said there was no complacency with the early lead.

“We knew coming in this is what it’s going to be,” he said. “We didn’t execute, but they were a lot of the reason for it. Over here, it was a big one.”

Three first-half fumbles derailed the Nighthawks. The final one was followed by a 27-yard pass play from Nigel Carlton to Justin Wilson. That set up Joshua Price’s 37-yard field-goal attempt that sailed wide left on the final play of the half, leaving Northern Guilford with a 14-7 lead.

Western Alamance’s first touchdown came on Donovan Apple’s 8-yard run in the second quarter.

Loganaccounted for all except 37 yards of his team’s total offense. However, he outgained Western Alamance, which posted 183 yards of offense. Apple gained 69 yards on 16 carries.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.